Lot #9: Antique Hand Coloured Botanical Print from Furber's "The Twelve Months of Flowers".

Antique Hand Coloured Botanical Print from Furber's "The Twelve Months of Flowers". Behind glass. DECEMBER . Hand coloured. Plate mark visible. At the foot of the plate is the phrase "From the collection of Rob. Furber, gardiner at Kensington, 1730." Unknown date. This not offset printed. Frame measures 17" x 21 1/2". Visible image area through the glass measures 13" x 17 1/2". Furber's "calendar of flowers", issued as a lavish catalogue of seeds available from his nursery in Kensington. There is a hand-colored plate for each month, in which are arranged the flowers that will bloom in that month. Each flower is numbered against a key at the bottom of the plate. Casteels, Peter, 1684-1749, artist. Fletcher, Henry, active 1715-1738, engraver. 'The Twelve Months of Flowers' was ready for subscribers in April 1731, about which the propietors claimed, "The Curiosity of this Work (being the first kind ever attempted) as also its Usefulness, not only to the Ladies in their Needle-works, but also to the Wokrmen in their several Occupations, such as Tapestry Weavers, Carvers &c. and all Virtuoso's in Flowers, makes it truly estimable". horticultural history Gardening Pickup category timeslot {A}